A role rooted in meeting people where they are
I manage the BEAMS Project, which is a unique pilot project that provides flexible, low barrier, and easily accessible pre-employment support services to people with physical or mental health concerns, active substance use and/or homelessness or unstable housing.
I am driven to develop programming for people who experience life differently than our ‘societal norms’. My hope is that people engage, find comfort within themselves, experience acceptance, and receive encouragement to develop skills and confidence to contribute meaningfully to the greater community. The BEAMS Project was designed with this in mind.
It has been extremely rewarding to see our vision take shape and for Beacon to have the opportunity to develop this pilot project in the Greater Victoria CRD on behalf of the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.
What being part of Beacon means to me
Being a part of Beacon makes me feel like I am actively contributing to improving the lives of people in a meaningful way. The support of a larger organization whose mission and vision are so aligned with mine, allows me to make a greater impact in my community, and with this particular project, within a community that is near and dear to my heart.
What sets Beacon apart
I think Beacon is a leader in providing responsive care to barriered individuals within the greater CRD region. While there are many organizations who provide care in our community, I think Beacon’s unique ability to provide a diversity of support services to a wide range of community members — from seniors to children to youth-at-risk to unemployed adults — this is what makes Beacon stand out.
To our donors and supporters: you are providing hope
To the donors and supporters, you are providing hope. Hope is one of the single most important things that can be restored to the human condition to re-ignite momentum in a person’s journey to over-come struggles and obstacles.
As a donor or funder, you are removed from witnessing the slouched shoulders, head down, deflated body language that comes through our doors shift to a heads up, chest out, and a smile on a person’s face. We see that shift happen all the time because funders and donors are trusting us to do this work and to do it well.
I also want to let funders and donors know, that with the right supports, at the right time, people can achieve employment. Every person’s story is so unique. For some, just a small dollar value of support interjected at the right time makes all the difference for their trajectory. Other people require more intensive in-person support and encouragement, which takes time, but then they get there, and off they go, rarely looking back. It is just so important to meet people where they are at.
Hopes for the future
My hope is to continue to develop programming for people who are experiencing hopelessness, doubt and disillusionment, so they can re-discover the joys of living and feel valued to giveback to the community.
My hope for BEAMS is that we can grow the project to serve more people and contribute in a meaningful way to other local initiatives within the region. BEAMS already supports different organizations with their work; we support and care for parks in the region, help create outdoor learning spaces for youth-at-risk, tend to community food resources and more. I want to help BEAMS continue to make the world a kinder place to live in.